Inside The Vikings

Vikings Sign TE T.J. Hockenson to Big Contract Extension

Hockenson will be a key part of Kevin O'Connell's offense for years to come.
Will Ragatz|
Vikings Sign TE T.J. Hockenson to Big Contract Extension
Vikings Sign TE T.J. Hockenson to Big Contract Extension

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Minnesota Vikings

It's done: The Vikings have signed tight end T.J. Hockenson to a new contract extension that will "make him one of the NFL's highest-paid tight ends," according to multiple reports.

Instead of entering a contract year, the 26-year-old is now secured as a Viking for the foreseeable future.

Update: Hockenson signed a four-year, $66 million contract that can be worth up to $68.5 million, per The Athletic's Dianna Russini. That $16.5 million AAV places him second among tight ends behind the Giants' Darren Waller.

Hockenson was acquired by Minnesota in a midseason trade with the Lions last November and instantly proved to be a great fit in Kevin O'Connell's offense. Just a few days after joining his new team, he went out and recorded nine catches for 70 yards in a win over the Commanders. Hockenson had two huge outings against the Giants between the regular season and playoffs, racking up 23 catches for 238 yards and two touchdowns in those games. In 11 games with the Vikings (including playoffs), he caught 70 passes for 648 yards.

With 914 yards and six touchdowns in the regular season across his time with Minnesota and Detroit, Hockenson made his second trip to the Pro Bowl in four years.

In 2023, Hockenson has the benefit of having a full offseason to continue mastering O'Connell's scheme. Alongside Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, he's going to be a key piece in the Vikings' passing attack for years to come.

Hockenson is a prototypical receiving tight end at 6'5", 248 pounds. Coming out of Iowa in 2019, he ran a 4.7 40 and earned an elite 9.19 Relative Athletic Score. The Lions took Hockenson with the No. 8 overall pick that year. Although he didn't quite live up to the hype, he's one of the better tight ends in football and is right in the heart of his prime. The Lions choosing not to include Hockenson in their long-term plans worked out well for the Vikings, who sent two draft pick upgrades to Detroit to acquire him last November.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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